EU to keep close eye on Turkey's treatment of AI detainee

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union says that it will keep a close eye on Turkey's treatment of an Amnesty International leader who was detained early this week as part of a wider crackdown on people suspected of links to a cleric accused of orchestrating last year's failed coup.

The EU on Thursday called on Turkey "to clarify the charges swiftly" and reminded Ankara to "fully respect the presumption of innocence."

The human rights advocacy group said its chairman in Turkey, lawyer Taner Kilic, was detained at his home in the western Turkish city of Izmir along with 22 other attorneys.

Amnesty said it was not clear why Kilic was suspected of having ties to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen's movement.